2024 NBA Free Agency Predictions: LeBron James, OG Anunoby, Paul George, More | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Mia Horton Restricted free agency feels like it has toned down over the years. Since incumbent teams have the right to match any offer sheet their own players receive, outside admirers seem less inclined to tie up cap space (albeit briefly) on someone whom they won't actually land.
This summer is shaping up to be an exception. A handful of notable restricted free agents—Isaac Okoro, Obi Toppin, Patrick Williams, just to name a few—have undefined markets. This is to say, they are neither no-brainer max or near-max guys (like Tyrese Maxey) nor lower-profile players unlikely to garner a ton of interest.
Immanuel Quickley stands out from the field. After Maxey, who is a virtual lock to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on a max deal, Quickly is clearly the best available RFA. But he also isn't necessarily in line for superstar money.
A four-year max from the Toronto Raptors would be worth $157.9 million, with a five-year max checking in at $204.5 million. If they offer him either deal out of the gate, yours truly will be shocked.
At the same time, can we really rule out a rival team attempting to come over the top and force Toronto into an expensive, potentially uncomfortable decision? Absolutely not.
As a soon-to-be 25-year-old defensive worker bee with off-the-bounce shot-making chops and developing vision when he maintains his dribble, Quickley fits almost any roster and timeline. That includes just about every cap-space squad.
One of them stands out in particular: The Orlando Magic. They have a choose-your-own adventure cap sheet that would allow them to rather easily offer Quickley a full max (four years, $151.6 million). That's not to say they will—or should. They can come in with something that's still ultra-aggressive but below the max.
The same goes for the Detroit Pistons, who could have over $60 million in cap space. It also goes for the Utah Jazz, who can crank their spending power north of $30 million if they don't renegotiate-and-extend Lauri Markkanen.
Ditto for the Charlotte Hornets, who will sniff the $30 million threshold if they let Miles Bridges leave. Even the San Antonio Spurs, who have around $20 million with which to play, can enter the fold if they offload some other money (think: Zach Collins or Keldon Johnson).
In other words, Quickley should have a market outside Toronto. And though the Raptors figure to match pretty much any offer he receives, the ambiguity tied to his price point increases the likelihood that they'll let the outside market determine how much he gets.